Dear OSU Community Members,
I am delighted to announce the selection of Dr. Melissa Cheyney as Oregon State University’s 2025 University Distinguished Professor honoree.
Dr. Cheyney is a professor of clinical medical anthropology in the College of Liberal Arts and an international leader in maternal healthcare and midwifery research. She has authored and edited multiple books and over 125 papers and has served as a PI or co-PI on more than 30 grants, including from the NIH, Skyline Foundation, the Meyer Memorial Trust, and many others. Recently she received a $500,000 gift from Skyline to support her OSU Uplift Lab’s work in community birth excellence, quality and safety. Her outstanding teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels has been recognized with the Thomas R. Meehan Award for undergraduate teaching in the College of Liberal Arts, designation as Eminent Professor in the Honors College, and the university’s Professional Development and Mentoring Award. Her extraordinarily active public engagement is influencing the reform of maternal care in Oregon and the nation, resulting in improved birth outcomes, especially among underserved populations.
Since 1988, the university has awarded the title of University Distinguished Professor to current OSU faculty members who have achieved national and international distinction for their contributions in research and creative work, teaching and mentoring, public engagement, and service. The quality, depth and breadth of Professor Cheyney’s work exemplifies OSU’s highest academic honor.
On Tuesday, April 29, Professor Cheyney will deliver a lecture on her scholarship. The lecture will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Horizon Room and will be streamed on live.oregonstate.edu. A reception will follow.
Please join me in congratulating University Distinguished Professor Dr. Melissa Cheyney.
Sincerely,
Edward Feser
Provost and Executive Vice President